Originally appeared on E! Online
Olivia Rodrigo is setting the record straight with regard to a certain song, amid rumors of bad blood with Taylor Swift.
For months, many fans have speculated that the former star's song "Vampire," which appears on her upcoming album "Guts," is about the "Blank Space" singer, with whom she had been on friendly terms in past years. In a recent interview, Rodrigo broke her silence about the issue.
"How do I answer this?" the 20-year-old said to The Guardian newspaper. "I mean, I never want to say who any of my songs are about. I've never done that before in my career and probably won't. I think it's better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing."
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Rodrigo added in the interview, published Sept. 2, "I was very surprised when people thought that."
Speculation that "Vampire," released in late June, is about Swift appeared to stem from the lyrics, "Bloodsucker, fame f-----, bleedin' me dry like a goddamn vampire."
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The "Style" singer has not commented about the song or the feud rumors, which began in 2021 after Rodrigo gave her part of the songwriting credits and royalties from her song "Deja Vu" due to similarities with the 33-year-old's hit 2019 single "Cruel Summer."
"I was so green as to how the music industry worked, the litigious side," the "High School Musical: The Musical": The Series star told the Guardian. "I feel like now I know so much more about the industry and I just feel...better equipped in that regard. It wasn't something I thought about too much."
This past June, weeks before the release of "Vampire," rumors of a feud with Swift were reignited after the "Bad Blood" singer invited fellow pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who many fans believe is the "blonde girl" Rodrigo references in her debut single "drivers license" single about rumored ex Joshua Bassett, to open for her on her current Eras Tour. In addition, Rodrigo has not been spotted at any of the concerts, unlike many fellow celebs.
The pair had appeared to be on friendly terms in past years. In April 2020, Rodrigo performed a cover of "Cruel Summer" for MTV's Alone Together Jam Session. Swift then wrote on her Instagram Stories, "THE TALENT. Love This!!! Thanks for this beautiful performance @olivia.rodrigo @mtv."
In January 2021, Rodrigo took to Instagram to express her excitement over the fact that "drivers license" ranked No. 3 below two of Swift's songs on the top US songs chart on iTunes. The latter star commented, "I say that's my baby and I'm really proud."
The following March, Rodrigo said on SiriusXM's "The Morning Mash Up" that Rodrigo gifted her a ring, similar to one she wore when she wrote her album Red. She also called the fellow singer, "the kindest individual in the whole world."
The two would finally meet in person the following May at the 2021 BRIT Awards. Rodrigo later shared on Instagram a pic of the two making silly faces at the event, captioning her post "Brits were a dream. never wanna leave!!!
